Chief minister Mamata Banerjee has told the Election Commission that its order to transfer senior Bengal police officers was “highly arbitrary, motivated and biased” and demanded a review.

“The decision of the commission is highly arbitrary, motivated and biased. We have every reason to believe that the decision of the commission is at the behest of the ruling party at the Centre, i.e, the BJP,” Mamata wrote to the poll panel on Saturday.

Commission sources in New Delhi said a rethink was unlikely.

“It is very unfortunate that I have to write this letter today to raise strong protest,” the chief minister wrote.

On Friday night, the commission had replaced Calcutta police commissioner Anuj Sharma, Bidhannagar police commissioner Gyanwant Singh and the district police chiefs of Birbhum and Diamond Harbour.

An official in New Delhi said the commission would list in its reply the procedures linked to the transfers but would not respond to the political content in the letter.

In her letter, Mamata mentioned how BJP leaders had issued media statements saying the poll panel would soon replace several senior Bengal police officers.

Mamata underscored the importance of Calcutta and Bidhannagar. “These officers (the replacements) do not have adequate knowledge of the area and the people…. Should there be any deterioration in the law and order situation of the state, would the commission take responsibility?” she asked.

She said that law and order was a state subject, and yet her government had not been consulted and the practice of seeking a panel of names not followed. Such a step could have given Nabanna an opportunity to recommend officers with the required experience as the replacements, she added.